Board hears concerns over EMS operations

Wahkiakum County commissioners discussed concerns over countywide emergency medical services (EMS) at their meeting Tuesday.

Commission Chair Blair Brady said he had heard concerns about how EMS funds are used. After some discussion, Commissioners Brady and Mike Backman (Commissioner Dan Cothren was ill and absent) said they would hold a workshop to discuss various issues.

The issues included payments to EMS personnel, equipment purchases, lack of paramedics on ambulance crews, and slow response times.

Brady said he had been told some EMS personnel in the volunteer departments were being paid.

Auditor Diane Tischer commented that the county's fire departments pay for training of volunteers.

The county's different departments all have their own property tax funding sources. They band together for an emergency services council which disperses funds raised through a county-wide emergency services special levy; these funds most often go to purchase equipment or vehicles for the departments.

Two departments, Cathlamet and Grays River, operate ambulance services. Grays River serves western Wahkiakum County, while Cathlamet's EMS crew serves Skamokawa, Cathlamet, the Elochoman, Puget Island and adjacent areas.

County commissioners review EMS expenses, which come to them with previous approval from EMS council commissioners.

Brady said that one issue brought to his attention was the claim that EMS is buying equipment used by paramedics even though there are no paramedics volunteering in the departments and none of the responders are qualified to use it.

Beau Renfro, assistant fire chief for the Cathlamet Fire Department, commented that the department's ambulances aren't equipped with the equipment.

"I think that maybe you've received bad information," he told Brady.

The EMS system doesn't have any paramedics on the crews even though paramedics live in the county, said Tom Merz. He also commented that residents who live outside Town of Cathlamet city limits have no right to vote for officials who oversee the EMS system.

"What oversight do you provide," he asked the commissioners.

"We look at it and rubber stamp it; I can't deny that," Brady replied. "It's worth looking at."

Puget Island resident Sylvia Kostich commented that she has noticed that ambulance response times have slowed.

"Since we are totally volunteer, and when it takes more than 30 minutes for response to Puget Island, there's a big problem," she said.

She suggested the EMS system could find programs with funding or other assistance.

Brady commented that it's hard to find volunteers in the county's small population. Expanded funding is up to citizens, he added.

"Unless we as a community are willing to up the ante, we have to rely on volunteers," he said.

"We can always use more volunteers!" Renfro said.

Backman suggested the commission host a workshop to discuss the situation.

"I think that's a great idea," Renfro commented.

"We'll put together a workshop," Brady said.